Why Is the UAE Leaving OPEC? And What Is OPEC Anyway? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

Tom Wilkinson· Host0:00

[background music] Hello, I'm Tom Wilkinson, and welcome to the Thinking in English podcast, a podcast for intermediate to advanced level English learners. The United Arab Emirates has announced that it is leaving OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, after almost 60 years as a member. Why does this matter? Well, oil is still one of the most important resources in the world. The price of oil affects how much we pay for petrol, the cost of transporting food, airline tickets, electricity, and much more. When oil prices rise, the economy is affected. OPEC is one of the most powerful organizations influencing oil prices. For decades, this group of countries has worked together to control how much oil enters the global market, but now one of its main members is walking away. In today's episode, we're going to think about a few important questions. What is OPEC? Why is it often called an oil cartel? Why has the UAE decided to leave? And what could happen next? And we will do all of this while learning some new vocabulary and practicing your English listening comprehension. If you want to turn your passive listening